While there are other notable variants within the SDA church, the aforementioned SDA theologians are in agreement with each other. They all agree that the trinity doctrine says that the three persons exist inseparably in one indivisible substance (one triune or trinitarian being) as the one God. In fact, one of these statements is from the Seventh-day Adventist Handbook of Theology (Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, volume 12).

Question: Can you find anything in the Bible or even the Spirit of Prophecy that indicates that the 3 Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) are an “only being” or “one Divine trinitarian being” and that They are “indivisible” and “one substance” or, again, have “one indivisible nature” and are “inseparably connected” to each other or, yet again, are all “inextricably bound together in one Divine substance”? The answer is you will not find such statements anywhere. Could it be that these traditional views have no basis in inspiration?

Implications of the Trinity as taught by Seventh-day Adventists

It teaches that the Father and Christ are playing an arbitrarily decided roles, that Jesus is merely a metaphorical Son and not the real Son of God. Furthermore, the role of each member can be interchangeable and is a matter of mere choosing:

“Eternal Sonship of Christ: Christ is the eternal Son of God. Paul wrote that “when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman” (Gal. 4:4). Christ was the Son of God before He was born of a woman. Through the preexistent Son, God “made the universe” (Heb. 1:2). However, the sonship of Christ is unique. Believers are spiritually born of God as children of God, but the Son is never described as being spiritually born of God; He is the Son, who came directly from the Father (John 16:28). He has life in Himself and is one with the Father in will (John 14:31; 15:10), character (John 14:8-11), purpose (John 15:16; 16:15; 17:4-8), and nature (John 8:58). Yet He is a different person. We are dealing with a metaphorical use of the word ‘son.’” — A Question of Sonship by Angel Manuel Rodriguez (Seventh-day Adventist theologian and “director” of the Adventist Biblical Research Institute) Source: https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/godgodhead-jesus-christ/question-sonship

“We are dealing with a metaphorical use of the word ‘son.’… There is no biblical support for the eternal generation of the Son from the Father. The Son came from God but was not generated by Him. [T]he [human] father-son image cannot be literally applied to the divine Father-Son relationship within the Godhead. The Son is NOT the natural, literal Son of the Father. A natural child has a beginning, while within the Godhead the Son is eternal. THE TERM “SON” IS USED METAPHORICALLY when applied to the Godhead. It conveys the ideas of distinction of persons within the Godhead and the equality of nature in the context of an eternal, loving relationship.” — ibid; Also published on Adventist World November 2015, p. 42. 

“The sonship of Jesus, however, is NOT ONTOLOGICAL, BUT FUNCTIONAL. In the plan of salvation each member of the trinity has ACCEPTED A PARTICULAR ROLE.” — The Trinity In Scripture by Gerhard Pfandl, Biblical Research Institute, Silver Spring, MD. June 1999.

“Imagine a situation in which the Being we have come to know as God the Father came to die for us, and the One we have come to know as Jesus stayed back in heaven… NOTHING WOULD HAVE CHANGED except that we would have been calling Each by the name we now use for the Other.” — Roy Adams, Adventist Review associate editor, Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, Lesson for April 10, 2008.

“Entirely through Their own initiative, THE GODHEAD ARRANGED FOR ONE AMONG THEM TO BECOME A HUMAN BEING. They did so in order to (1) provide us with our Substitute and Surety, (2) make God’s ways plain, (3) restore us to our pre-sin perfection, and (4) settle the debate about God’s Justice. At precisely the right time and in the right way, the three Members of the Godhead put into operation a plan They had devised before the world was created. They surrendered a portion of Themselves—the Divine Son—to become the Saviour of the world.” — Our Wonderful God, Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, 4th Quarter 1998, Principal Contributor: Edwin R. Thiele.

“The gospel commission commands surrendered souls to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The apostolic benediction lists the Three and names Christ first. Paul usually places God the Father first but here it is reversed. To me THIS SIGNIFIED THE INTERCHANGEABLENESS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GODHEAD since they are one in action and purpose.” — J.R. Spangler Review & Herald, Oct. 21, 1971, “I BELIEVE in the Triune God.”

“It may be inferred from the Scriptures that when the Godhead laid out the plan of salvation at some point in eternity past, They also took certain positions or roles to carry out the provisions of the plan.” — Pastor Frank B. Holbrook, Signs of the Times, July 1985, ‘Frank Answers’

“In God’s foreknowledge and great love, such a provision had already been made. A plan of salvation was encompassed in the covenant made by the Three Persons of the Godhead, who possessed the attributes of Deity equally. In order to eradicate sin and rebellion from the universe and to restore harmony and peace, one of the divine beings accepted, and ENTERED INTO THE ROLE OF THE FATHER, another the ROLE OF THE SON. The remaining divine Being, the Holy Spirit, was also to participate in effecting the plan of salvation. All of this took place before sin and rebellion transpired in heaven.” — Gordon Jenson (President of Spicer Memorial College, Pune, India, “Jesus, the Heavenly Intercessor”, Adventist Review, Oct. 31, 1996. 12/32 on digital pdf)

“Is it not quite apparent that the problem texts become problems only when one assumes an exclusively literalistic interpretation of such expressions as “Father,” “Son,” “Firstborn,” “Only Begotten,” “Begotten,” and so forth? Does not such literalism go against the mainly figurative or metaphorical meaning that the Bible writers use when referring to the persons of the Godhead? Can one really say that the Bible writers meant such expressions as “the only true God” and “one God the Father” to exclude the full deity of the Son, Christ Jesus?” (Woodrow Whidden, The Trinity, ‘Biblical objections to the trinity’ page 106, 2002)

“The Father, Son relationship in the New Testament, must always be understood in the light of the event of Bethlehem. The only child born into this world with a divine rather than a human father is Jesus. The title ‘son’ refers to His entry into time and does not deny at all His eternal origins. There are references in the Old Testament to ‘Sonship’ but these are always in anticipation of the incarnation.” (J. R. Hoffman, Seventh-day Adventist Minister, Ministry Magazine article ‘Is Jesus Jehovah God?’ June 1982 page 24)

Note: It is being emphasized here that the ‘Father-Son’ relationship has no application to Christ’s pre-existence. Rather it is said only to be terminology made applicable by the events of the incarnation.

Seventh-day Adventist trinitarians overtly teach unbegottenism. That is, they say that the pre-incarnate Son of God was not begotten. In fact some even say that He was not a Son in His pre-incarnate existence but held a title of a Son only in a proleptic, salvific sense — an anticipation of the future fulfillment. Sadly, this is out of harmony with inspiration and it has brought several problems into the fold. 

The driving idea undergirding this theology comes from the thought that a divine being must exist without beginning and therefore according to this view, any compromise on the Son’s eternal existence denigrates the integrity of Christ divinity, etc. This however is a great irony, for biblical affirmation of Christ’s divinity is established by the very fact that Christ was begotten of His Father (Jn 5:18) — Christ is divine like His Father because He is the Son of God!

Trinitarians of other persuasions (i.e. Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbytarian) also invalidate His begetting but not so overtly. They say that the pre-incarante Son of God’s experience was and still is one of “eternal generation.” However, due to the presupposition that the 3 persons of the Godhead are one inseparably unified God Being, they make this meaningless because, in order to maintain this one triune God Being, they make Him formless. Thus it is all mysticism or spiritualism as the early SDA pioneers would dub it and thereby destroys the integrity of the image and the likeness of the corporeal personality of either the Father or the Son.

”Unfortunately, many unsuspecting Seventh-day Adventists do not even realize what their own church teach. They do not realize that the Trinity doctrine actually claims that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three co-equal, co-eternal persons/gods with 3 distinct personalities and yet they are not three separate beings but rather a single being (at least this is how it is officially articulated). Most Adventist members, however, insist that they believe something different than what the church doctrine actually teach. Most believe that there are three Almighty Beings with distinct personalities who all have exactly the same authority and power and that they have all lived for all eternity.  All three are said to be one God, because they are in agreement in everything they do — not that they make up a single being. According to this belief (also contrary to Scripture and should be construed as some form of Tri-Theism rather than Trinity), these three divine Beings (Gods) decided long, long ago (for the purpose of saving mankind) to act in three different roles. One would enter into a roll as the Father, one as the Son and one would work as the Holy Spirit, etc.

Assumed As Facts — Admittance by the Church

Where though in Scripture can be found such an idea? The answer is, it cannot be found. This is because it is not there. It is purely supposition (philosophical speculation). This is why the trinity doctrine is only an assumed doctrine. This is even duly recognized in our own denominational handbook of theology:

“The concept of the Trinity, namely the IDEA THAT THE THREE ARE ONE, IS NOT EXPLICITLY STATED BUT ONLY ASSUMED.” — Fernando L. Canale, The Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopaedia, Volume 12, page 138, ‘Doctrine of God’

Here’s what the church’s official website say:

“The Bible’s clear ALLUSIONS [not explicitly stated] to the Trinity are enough for Adventists.” — (bracket supplied) https://www.adventist.org/…/trini…/article/go/-/the-trinity/

Another respected SDA theologian says,

“The role of the trinity in a doctrine of God always raises questions. One reason is that the word itself does not appear in the Bible, NOR IS THERE ANY CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE IDEA. But the Bible does set the stage for its formulation, and the concept represents a development of biblical claims and concepts. SO EVEN THOUGH THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY IS NOT PART OF WHAT THE BIBLE ITSELF SAYS ABOUT GOD, IT IS PART OF WHAT THE CHURCH MUST SAY to safeguard the biblical view of God.” — Richard Rice, The Reign of God, An Introduction to Christian Theology from a Seventh-day Adventist Perspective’, page 89, ‘A constructive proposal’, 1985

“We can find hints of this doctrine in the Old Testament and preliminary expressions of it in the new.” (Ibid)

Again this is the admittance that the trinity doctrine cannot be found in Scripture. All that can be found there, according to Rice, are “hints” and “preliminary expressions”.

After quoting several passages that speak of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the same author wrote:

“As these passages indicate, the idea of the trinity has precedents in the Bible, even though a full-fledged doctrine of the trinity is not to be found there.” (Ibid)

Another official SDA church publication notes:

“In contrast to the heathen of surrounding nations, ISRAEL BELIEVED THERE WAS ONLY ONE GOD (Deut.4:35;6:4; Isa.45:5; Zech14:9). The New Testament makes the same emphasis on the unity of God . . . This monotheistic emphasis does not contradict the Christian concept of the triune God or Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit; rather it affirms that there is no pantheon of various deities. Although the Old Testament DOES NOT EXPLICITLY TEACH THAT GOD IS TRIUNE, IT ALLUDES TO A PLURALITY WITHIN THE GODHEAD . . . While the Godhead is not one in person, God is one in purpose, mind and character. This oneness does not obliterate the distinct personalities of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Nor does the separateness of personalities within the Deity destroy the monotheistic thrust of Scripture, that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God.” — Seventh-day Adventists Believe . . . A Biblical Exposition of 27 Fundamental Doctrine, 1988. R & H, pp 22-23.

Adventist Review 7-30-1981 Special Issue on Bible Doctrines — The Trinity was explained one year after it was voted as an official doctrine of the church (which was in 1980; initially composed of 27 fundamental beliefs). It states,

“While no single scriptural passage states formally the doctrine of the Trinity, it is assumed as a fact by Bible writers… Only by faith can we accept the existence of the Trinity.” (p. 4)

Adventist Review 7-30-1981

Strongest clues?

The Trinity, by Moon, Whidden & Reese, Andrews University.

“Probably the strongest clues to such a divine triunity occur in the famous gospel commission that Jesus gave the church in its baptismal formula: ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’ (Matt. 28:19).” — The Trinity, by Jerry Moon, Woodrow Whidden, & John W. Reese, published by R & H 2002, p.32. (Chapter entitled “The Strongest Biblical Evidence for the Trinity”) (emphasis supplied)

While scholars admit that trinity doctrine is an assumed doctrine, We are now told by our three well respected Adventist academics that Matthew 28:19 is the “strongest clue” that we have to prove the trinity, when it is not even a text laying out a doctrinal position on the nature of God! Christ is making a statement on Baptism, and the passage does NOT reveal anything about,

(1) how “the Father”, “the Son”, and “the Holy Spirit” are related to each other.
(2) how they are co-equal, co-eternal Beings or Persons.
(3) It does not say that the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are unified as one God.
(4) It does not say that the Son is unbegotten.
(5) It does not say that the Spirit isn’t the Spirit of God.
(6) It doesn’t even say that the Holy Spirit is a separate individual not unlike the Father and the Son.

And yet, this is “strongest clue” we have? Is that the best that God has revealed for us, His remnant people, as the foundation of our faith, in regard to the God whom we worship?

Even the Catholics admit the the trinity doctrine is only assumed in Scripture. In their challenge to so-called Protestants who invoke “Sola Scriptura,” they say:

“Our opponents sometimes claim that no belief should be held dogmatically which is not explicitly stated in scripture . . . But the Protestant Churches have themselves accepted such dogmas, as the Trinity, for which there is no such precise authority in the Gospels,” — (Assumption of Mary, Life magazine, October 30, 1950, p. 51)

“In Scripture there is as yet no single term by which the Three Divine Persons are denoted together….The Vatican Council has explained the meaning to be attributed to the term ‘mystery’ in theology. It lays down that a mystery is a truth which we are not merely incapable of discovering apart from Divine Revelation, but which, even when revealed, remains ‘hidden by the veil of faith and enveloped, so to speak, by a kind of darkness.’” (Const., “De fide. cath.”, iv). (Joyce G.H. The Blessed Trinity. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XV Copyright © 1912 by Robert Appleton Company Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight)

Some in the church say Trinity is taught explicitly

“The New Testament does not have any explicit statement on the Trinity—apart from 1 John 5:7, which has been rejected as a medieval addition to the text—but the Trinitarian evidence is overwhelming.” — Dennis Fortin http://www.perspectivedigest.org/article/17/archives/15-4/god-the-trinity-and-adventism)

“Explicit in the New Testament, implied in the Old, the doctrine of the Trinity is fundamental to Adventist faith.” — R. Allan Anderson, Review and Herald, September 8th 1983, ‘Adventists and the trinity’

“Internal evidence provided below, however, indicates that the Trinity can rise to the level of being explicit in the Old Testament.” — Systematic Theology God as Trinity, Norman Gulley pg. 26

Instead, we would do well to heed the Testimony of Jesus Himself, by the pen of His Messsenger:

“I am instructed to say to our people: Let us follow Christ. Do not forget that He is to be our pattern in all things. We may safely discard those ideas that are not found in His teaching.” Ellen G. White, {CCh 326.1}

Variant beliefs about the Trinity within the church

It is worth mentioning here that not all current SDA scholars on the doctrine of the trinity agrees on the subject and that there are notable variants within the church; below are a list of 9 significant variants.

1)Current SDA scholars are not agreed as to whether the doctrine of the trinity is explicit in the Bible.
2) Current SDA trinitarianism is not agreed as to how many Divine Beings there — 3 Beings or 1 Being?
3) In harmony with Catholic trinity or out of harmony?
4) Interchangeable Roles or Not?
5) God has a body or is God formless?
6) God the Father is Head vs. there is no Headship when it comes to the Godhead
7) The Son of God?
8) Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and Spirit or Christ vs. Holy Spirit is not the Spirit of God or Spirit of Christ. 9) Separable and thus capable of dying forever or Inseparable and thus incapable of dying?

Some within the Church admit church’s doctrinal harmony with the Roman Catholics?

In the year 2000, following statement was included in a document prepared by George W. Reid (director of Biblical Research Institute 1984–2001): A brief review of the history and doctrines of the SDA church. Prepared for the dialogue with representatives of the Roman Catholic Church (visiting Andrews University).

“Nature of God. A reading of the above statements will show that with respect to their doctrine of God Seventh-day Adventists are in harmony with the great creedal statements of Christendom, including the Apostles’ Creed, Nicea (325), and the additional definition of faith concerning the Holy Spirit as reached in Constantinople (381).” — Seventh-day Adventists: A Brief Introduction to Their Beliefs, Biblical Research Institute; 6/19 on digital pdf

Note: What is the “Faith Concerning the Holy Spirit as reached in Constantinople (381) as noted above? “The Council of Constantinople also declared finally the Trinitarian doctrine of the equality of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son.” — https://www.britannica.com/event/First-Council-of-Constantinople-381

“The member churches of THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES AND SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS ARE IN AGREEMENT ON THE FUNDAMENTAL ARTICLES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AS SET FORTH IN THE THREE ANCIENT SYMBOLS (Apostolicum, NICAENON-CONSTANTINOPOLITUM, ATHANASIUM). This agreement finds expression in UNQUALIFIED ACCEPTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY and the Two-Natures.” — So Much In Common, p. 107 (1973) Co-authored by B.B. Beach and Dr. Lukas Vischer- Faith and the Order Secretariat of the WCC.

“…THE CATHOLIC SIDE RECOGNIZES in the document the Christocentric character of our beliefs, AND ESPECIALLY OUR BELIEF IN THE TRINITY, as well as ecclesiological identity of the Church, a status affirmed by an act of the Polish Parliament. On our part, we spoke of a need to change attitudes toward our denomination and recognized the openness of the Catholic Church, especially in recent times, toward the Bible, Lyko explained.” — “Adventist Chruch Cannot be Treated as a Sect,” Say Adventists and Catholics in Poland, Feb, 14, 2000

Some within the church say it’s not in harmony with Catholic trinity?

“Secondly, as several of the gentlemen have pointed out, THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY THAT WE TEACH IS NOT IDENTICAL TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY AS DEVELOPED BY THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH… ” — A panel participant at the Q&A Session at the end of the Adventist Theological Society’s 2006 “Trinity Symposium,

“It is true that the Council of NICAEA and the Council of CONSTANTINOPLE did make declarations THAT WE MUST NOW REJECT BECAUSE THEY DISAGREE WITH SCRIPTURE.” — The Trinity by Whidden, Moon and Reeve pg 150

As you can see, the Bible scholars of Seventh-day Adventists are not in agreement as to whether or not the church’s trinitarian position is in agreement with the Catholics. That said, both positions are maintained without much fanfare.

Who Is Right?

A well-known Adventist Trinitarian Jerry Moon who was a co-author of the book The Trinity wrote: “That most of the leading SDA pioneers were non-Trinitarian in their theology has become accepted Adventist history.”

He then goes on to say, “either the pioneers were wrong and the present church is right, or the pioneers were right and the present Seventh-day Adventist Church has apostatized from biblical truth.” — Jerry Moon, The Trinity, Chapter, Trinity and antitrinitarianism in Seventh-day Adventist history, p. 190

Regarding idolatry, Ellen White says,

“No outward shrines may be visible, there may be no image for the eye to rest upon, YET WE MAY BE PRACTICING IDOLATRY . . . Thousands have a false conception of God and His attributes. They are as verily serving a false god as were the servants of Baal. Are we worshipping the true God as He is revealed in His word, in Christ, in nature, or ARE WE ADORING SOME PHILOSOPHICAL IDOL ENSHRINED IN HIS PLACE?” — Testimonies for the Church vol. 5, p. 173-174. (Compare Ezekiel 14:3 “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart”)

Related articles:

What is the Doctrine of Trinity? Part 1

What is the Doctrine of Trinity? Part 2 -Variants Among Seventh-day Adventist Trinitarians